Governor Lolo Moliga urged directors at a cabinet meeting this morning to be honest and fair in their preliminary damage assessment reports for the recent cyclone.
Lolo advised them they should not include damages that didn’t occur.
The governor cautioned the cabinet not to heed a phrase he heard yesterday, just bring everything to the federal government.
Lolo said, “the federal government includes us,” and pointed out that the US Government is also struggling with debts in the trillions of dollars.
The governor repeated several times that directors should be honest in the preparation of assessment reports.
At the same time he said our people should not be short changed.
Lolo said FEMA officials don’t understand the local situation and it’s up to the ASG officials dealing with them to make them understand.
He said not all families live in four bedroom homes.
Some dwellings are simple structures with poles.
Lt Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga, the Governor’s Authorized Representative to FEMA reported to the meeting that preliminary assessment reports for homes need a few more days to be finalized.
He said there was a difference with FEMA’s assessment of the number of homes that were destroyed or significantly damaged and the EOC’s.
Today was when all assessment reports were to be completed however Lemanu said they asked for a few more days to go over the details again.
The assessment reports should give the final numbers which will be included in the request for a declaration of American Samoa as a major disaster area.
The preliminary assessment report for government facilities and infrastructure put damages at $6.9 million but it was stressed that these are just preliminary figures.
- ASTCA-$3.2 million
- Department of Agriculture-$2.6 million.
- ASPA- $1.8 million
- Port /Airport- $611,000,
- DOE-$382,000.
- LBJ Hospital- $363,000,
- ASCC- $244,000 ,
- Public Works $221,880.
As of this morning there are 610 people remaining in 11 shelters and local vendors are supplying three meals a day for them at the expense of Red Cross.
